Level of skeletal muscle glucose transporter protein correlates with insulin-stimulated whole body glucose disposal in man

Abstract

The content of GLUT4 glucose transporter mRNA and protein were measured in samples of the vastus lateralis muscle of normal volunteers subjected to a 4-h hyperinsulinaemic, euglycaemic clamp. Plasma glucose concentration was clamped at 5.3±0.1 mmol/l, and serum insulin concentration was maintained at 740±5 pmol/l. Whole body glucose uptake averaged 38.3±2.2 μmol · kg-1 · min-1, 62% of this being due to disposal via non-oxidative pathways. A significant correlation existed between basal levels of GLUT4 protein and the rate of whole body glucose disposal (r=0.77, p<0.02) and non-oxidative glucose disposal (r=0.80, p<0.02). There was no correlation between GLUT4 protein content and oxidative glucose disposal (r=0.08, NS). These observations are consistent with an important role for skeletal muscle GLUT4 protein in whole body glucose disposal. © 1991 Springer-Verlag.